Endurance
The Club has close links with the local Endurance GB group. Several endurance rides, including of course the famous Golden Horseshoe, take place in West Somerset.
Final selection for Riding Club Endurance team
The entries are closed for the 32 km qualifier ride at Kingston Deverell in Wiltshire on 18th July, and our entries were in on time. This qualifier is for the RC Endurance Championships Final to be held on 5th September at Southall Racecourse in Derbyshire. Our team all have non typical 'endurance' horses - not a 15hh Arab in sight! The team consists of Carol & Hazel Burge, Carol with her lovely coloured mare, and Hazel with her chestnut TB cross, both 15hh - 15.2hh, new member Julia Holtom also rides on the team with her tough little roan pony, and the final team member is Lucie Allison with her new ID mare all 16.1hh of her. All these horses have proved to be very fit and come in from good length rides on consistent speeds of 10kph with nice low heart beats, which we are hoping will stand us in good stead.
We also have an individual rider - Annabel Gregory on her mare Duska again hardly a typical endurance horse at 16.3hh WBxTB, who she point-to-pointed a few weeks ago, but Duska too is fit enough to have a low heart beat after fairly testing conditions. Unfortunately Julia will not be able to go to the finals, should we qualify, as her pony reacts badly to flu vaccinations, and as it is on a racecourse all teams have to be fully up to date as per Jockey Club rules, so we are planning that Annabel will ride on the team at the final if all goes well and to plan. Watch this space for news or visit http://www.rcteamevent.endurancegb.co.uk/html/class08.html which is the link to the ride on 18th July and it will give the results afterwards!
Anyone interested in getting involved in RC Endurance, please contact Sue Rose on 01643 841411 or e-mail on susan_rose@btconnect.com.
Final selection ride for the WSRC Endurance Team
We have having our final selection ride over about 16 miles from Comers Gate ,Winsford Hill on Saturday 19th June, following the various pleasure rides which we have been using as training rides. Members who wish to be considered for the team should present themselves at Comers Gate at 10.30 on that day. We are luck to have the help of Barbara Wigley and hopefully her daughter Nic with our preparation. Barbara has been on the national selection team for Endurance GB so knows what to look for! Nic has competed internationally as a Junior. We will be doing an initial trot up, a tack & shoeing check, just as there will be at the regionals. You also need to provide at least one crew, who should have in the crew car - water containers, buckets, sponges and rugs.
We will be watching how you tackle the course, how your crew works with you, and we will check heart rates (horses!!) at half way and the end. Obviously advice from Barbara & hopefully Nic is on hand.
The Final if we qualify is at Southwell Racecourse, Nottinghamshire on 5th September and you will be finishing down the all weather straight! The distance is the same - 32 kms http://www.rcteamevent.endurancegb.co.uk/html/thefinal.html . We will for that have to have up to date flu vaccs because it is on a racecourse, and I will have to have a copy of it to go with the entries, but first things first - let's qualify!
Any queries please ring me Sue on 01643 841411 (leave a message if I am not there & I will call you back)
West Somerset Riding Club takes a more active interest in Endurance Riding this year.
WSRC is looking for at least 8 people interested in forming perhaps two teams, to compete in the local regional qualifier, the Phoenix Ride from Treborough Common on August 22nd. The distance will be approximately 20 miles or 34km. Individuals and juniors (12 years old or over) can also take part. For those successful at Treborough the final is to take place during the summer of 2011 at Cirencester Park
The Club really needs as many people interested as possible because reserves may be needed, depending on the horse situation, as well as people to support the competitors en route. If we cannot get a team fit enough for this competition in this area, then we are sadly lacking!
TRAINING AND FUN RIDES
For more information about endurance riding in the area visit the Wessex Group of Endurance GB
Wesex EGB organised a 14 mile mounted treasure hunt on 16th August 2009. Report here |
